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Message from Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic) [cid:image002.jpg@01D9AB38.AB9F6A90]

June 30, 2023

Dear Students,

At the beginning of this month, many of us marched in celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+. Now, just this week, your peers at the University of Waterloo have experienced a heinous act of violence on their campus. We offer them our deepest sympathies and reassurance that we are united in solidarity against hate. Universities should be spaces dedicated to the peaceful pursuit of knowledge and the well-being of others.

This tragic incident reminds us of the importance of upholding the values we hold dear and reinforces our unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environment for all members of our diverse community. At the University of Manitoba, we firmly believe in the power of equity, respect, and human dignity for all.

To our community members who experience targeted violence and hatred, we acknowledge your experiences. To all our community members, know that our university has robust safety protocolshttps://umanitoba.ca/student-supports/safety-and-security in place that are regularly reviewed. If you haven't already, I encourage you to become familiar with our emergency quick reference guidehttps://umanitoba.ca/security/sites/security/files/2021-05/UM-Emergency-Response-Quick-Reference-Guide-2019.pdf and to download our safety app for either iOShttps://apps.apple.com/us/app/um-safe/id1491182847 or Android.https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cutcom.apparmor.umanitoba&hl=en And please remember, and use if you need, the mental health supporthttps://umanitoba.ca/student-supports/student-health-and-wellnesss and sexual violence supportshttps://umanitoba.ca/sexual-violence that are available to all students.

Our community is working hard to bring about lasting change through advocacy, action, research, and comprehensive policies that reflect our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. And our university is prioritizing education, awareness, and support services to address the root causes of violence, bigotry, and intolerance.

Thank you to everyone in our community who takes on this work and makes our campus and our world better with your courage and activism.

Sincerely, [A close-up of a signature Description automatically generated with medium confidence] Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic)